Sand trap



Feb. 6, 1962 v. L. FRANTZ 3,020,092

SAND TRAP Filed Nov. 17. 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR VIRG'IL L. FRANTZ HIS ATTORNEY V. L. FRANTZ Feb. 6, 1962 SAND TRAP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 17, 1958 INVENTOR VIRGIL L. FRA/VTZ H I S ATTORNEY United States Patent (a) ginia Filed Nov. 17, 1958, Ser. No. 774,235 14 Claims. (Cl. 29111) This invention relates to sand traps for use in sanding systems of locomotives and like vehicles and has for its primary object the provision of an improved sand trap which, while having a fixed air nozzle, is fully adjustable to control the rate of flow of sand from the sand trap during a sanding operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sand trap having an inbuilt nozzle and of such construction and arrangement as to avoid siphoning of the sand by venturi action which occurs throughout the sanding operation with a sand trap having a separate nozzle, whether the latter is adjustable or fixed.

An additional object of the invention is'to provide an improved sand trap which, in lieu of an adjustable nozzle, employs means based on the cone principle for varying the output of the sand trap during a sanding operation by adjusting the volume of sand exposed to the action of the air jet.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved sand trap, the output of which is variable by an adjustable blade controlling the volume of sand exposable to the air jet, the blade being so adjustable as to be practically tamper-proof after the initial adjustment.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sand trap having an inbuilt air passage for applying an air jet to and moving the sand in the sand trap during a sanding operation, the passage running downgrade from inlet to outlet to inhibit its blockage. by backed-up sand and intermediate its ends being enclosed in part by a bushing to facilitate casting.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter in the detailed description, be particularly pointed out in the appended claims and be illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a central vertical sectional view of a pre ferred embodiment of the sand trap of the present invention surmounted by a sand cut-cit suitable for cutting oh the sand trap from an associated sand supply;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational viewof the outlet end ofthe sand trap of FIGURE 1; and

FEGURE 3 is a vertical sectional'view of the sand trap taken along the lines 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, in which like I .vary in their sanding specifications and thereis also wide variation among locomotives in the length of the delivery pipe from the sand trap to the rails. As a result, a sand trap must be adjustable in output if it is to function satisfactorily in all installations and such adjustment is not derivable from changing the pressure ofthe applied air,

since, within the usual range of to psi, change in the air pressure has little effect on the output.

The sand trap of this invention not only is fully adjustable to enable its output to be varied as desired, but is so adjustable without use of the conventional separate a adjustable nozzle. The sand trap, designated as 1, is comprised essentially of a hollow body 2 having a sand inlet or inlet port 3 at its upper end 4, a sand outlet or outlet port 5 ofiset and disposed at an angle relative to the inlet, an air passage or nozzle 6 underlying the interior 7 of the body in which the sand is contained and having an outlet or tip 8 adjacent and directed toward the outlet port and a movable blade or gate 9 intermediate the inlet and outlet ports for adjusting the exposable volume of sand presented to the air outlet. 7

In the preferred embodiment, the body 2 and its hollow interior 7 are both of substantially L-shape with the sand inlet port 3 substantially vertically and outlet port 5 substantially horizontally directed. While the upper or sand inlet end 4 of the sand trap 1 may be made for connection by a union (not shown) to a feed line (not shown) from a sand dome or supply hopper (not shown), that ofthe illustrated embodiment is particularly designed for use with a novel form of sand cut-off 10 to which a separate patent application is directed. To that end, the sand trap has at its upper end 4 about its sand inlet 3 'an integral connecting flange 11 for connection, as by bolting, to a like flange 12 on the sand cut-ofl. The illustrated sand outlet 5 is conventional in being internally threaded for connection to a delivery pipe (not shown) leading to the rails or other surface to be sanded.

Forming a sand chamber or compartment kept supplied by gravity with sand from thesand dome, except when temporarily shut olf therefrom for cleaning or like purpose by the sand cut-oil 10, the L-shaped interior 7 conventionally would be filled with sand to the bend 13 between its upper or substantially vertical and outer or substantially horizontal, angularly related, inlet and outlet legs 14 and 15, respectively, with the sand therebeyond sloping downwardly at its angle of repose, as determined by its type. However, in accordance with this invention, the volume of the sand in the sand chamber or interior 7' 'accessible'for action by compressed air, is dependent upon the positions of the air outlet 8 of the passage 6 and the blade '9, one fixed and the other adjustable. In the illustrated embodiment, the air outlet 8 underlies a preferably substantially fiat and horizontally disposed shelf or ledge 16 forming the outer or outlet portion of the main floor 17 of the sand chamber 7 and terminating, short of thesand outlet port 5, in an outer lip or edge 18. The air outlet 8 thus opens below the lip 18 and above a pocket 19 at the bottom of the outlet leg 15 intermediate the lip and the sand outlet port'5.

' Movably mounted in the body 2, the blade 9 is adjustably or variably projectible into the sand in the sand chamber 7 to define and shift or move the upper extremity of the opening beyond which the sand, in flowing to the outlet port 5, has its upper face freed to assume the slope or inclination determined by its angle of repose. While-termed hereinafter an opening to the outlet leg 15 or between that leg and the inlet leg 14 and, as the latter,

indicated at 20, the opening in question must be in ad- Vance of the air outlet 8 but may be either between or within one of the inlet and outlet legs and, unless the blade is vertically projected, will shift longitudinally of the body 2 with the projection of the blade. The blade 9, in turn, while in any case projected into the sand chamber 7 from above the level of the portion of the latters floor 17 which it confronts, may be projected or moved horizontally, vertically, obliquely or rotatively, as appropriate to the part of the chamber into which it is projected. With the opening 20 so positioned, the blade9 so projectible and the sand chamber 7 under operating conditions filled above the maximum upward extent of the opening, the extent to which the opening 20 is restricted by the blade 9 will control, regulate or pr'edetei'mine the volume or quantity of sand exposed or presented at a given moment in the outlet leg 15 to the air jet from the air outlet 8 and thus the output of the sand trap.

Preferably extending transversely of the sand chamber 7 and of substantially the width of the portion of the chamber into which it is projected, so that the downwardly inclined, free upper face of the sand in the outlet leg 15 beyond the opening 20 is substantially fiat or planar, the blade 9, for maximum range of adjustment of sandflow, should be capable of shifting that face or the inclined plane in which it lies in a direction normal thereto from the point of maximum flow at which the face contacts, intersects or is tangential to the bend 13, to the point of minimum flow at which it just clears or touches the lip 18 of the ledge 16. The illustrated blade is particularly suited for this task and is capable of providing sandflow from the sand trap ranging from as little as 2-4 ounces to as much as 2-3 pounds per minute.

Rotatably, pivotally or swingably mounted at the outlet side of the inlet leg 14 for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis, the preferred blade is in somewhat the form of a sector of a cylinder, with its center or apex 21 lying along its rotative axis and bounded at front and rear by substantially planar, radially extending leading or sand-engaging and trailing faces 22 and 23, respectively, intersecting at the apex 21 and here including an obtuse angle of around 120. Swingable through a limited arc of the same order from one extreme at which its trailing face 23 is substantially vertical, to the other extreme at which its leading face 22 projects into the inlet leg 15 at an angle below the horizontal of about 30, the blade 9 may be bevelled or rounded at either outer corner, an arcuately convex or rounded surface or nose 24 between or connecting its leading face 22 and outer cylindrical face 25 being especially desirable to minimize drag on the sand.

Determining maximum sandflow when in retracted position by its leading face 22 and minimum sandflow when in fully projected or extended position by its rounded nose 24, the illustrated blade not only projects into the opening 20 between the inlet and outlet legs 14 and 15, but defines with the floor 17 the vertical limits of that opening. With the blade 9 determining the volume of sand flowing to the sand outlet and thus the output of the sand trap for a given flow of compressed air through the passage 6, the disposition of the air outlet port 8 below the lip 18 of the ledge 16 will enable the air to act directly on the sand for any sandflow except possibly minimum and even then only at the outset of the sanding operation, until the venturi action has disturbed the sand on the ledge sufliciently to cause it thereafter to flow over the lip.

For pivotally mounting the flow regulating blade 9 in the body 2, there are provided at opposite ends of the blade a pair of cylindrical discs, hubs or journals 26 concentric with each other and the blade. Each of the discs 26 is rotatably seated or journalled in one of a pair of correspondingly cylindrical apertures or seats 27 extending through the side wall 28 of the body 2 at opposite sides of the inlet leg 14 of the sand chamber 7 and preferably forming part of a common bore extending uninterruptedly through the body. Thus, by making the discs 26 at least equal in radius or coradial with the blade 9, the discs and blade may be formed as an integral unit slidable from the side through one or the other of the seats 27 into position in the body. For holding the blade centered on the sand chamber 7, as well as blocking flow above the blade to the outlet leg 15, there is provided an angle plate 29 conveniently anchored through its substantially horizontal base flange 30 in a recess 31 in the upper end 4 of the body 2 above the blade 9 by a screw 32 and having a depending tongue, detent or flange 33 of substantially the width of the blade and projecting or extending downwardly between the discs 26 toward and preferably to the apex 21 of the blade. The substantially vertical depending flange 33 here serves as a stop for engagement by the trailing face 23 of the blade in fully retracted position and has its lower end 34 bevelled to align with the leading face 22 of the blade in that position.

Centered by the angle plate 29, the blade 9 may be adjusted in pivotal or rotative position to regulate the output of the sand trap by fitting the outer end 35 of either or each disc 26 to be engaged by an actuating wrench (not shown). While a set screw or like means might be provided to hold or fix the blade in adjusted position, such separate means are unnecessary where, as here, the seats 27 are sealed after installation of the blade 9 by O-rings 36, each seating in a peripheral groove 37 in one of the discs 26, the frictional resistance exerted by the O-rings between the discs and their seats in sealing, also sufficing to hold or fix the blade 9 in any adjusted position. Once the output of the sand trap 1 is set or predetermined by adjustment of the blade 9, it is desirable that the output remain undisturbed by any unauthorized adjustment, this here being accomplished by fitting either or each disc 26 with a special socket 38 to take a special wrench.

The remaining of the essential components of the sand trap, the air passage or noule 6, with its outlet or tip 8 opening below the lip 18 of the ledge 16 and facing toward and aligned with or parallelling the axis of the sand outlet 5, most readily is formed integrally with or inbuilt in the body 2. Having an air inlet or inlet port 39 in the side wall 28 of the body 2 adjacent the bodys lower end 40 and opposite the sand outlet 5, the passage, as previously mentioned, preferably extends downwardly or declines therefrom toward its outlet 8 to prevent it from being clogged by sand backing up into the outlet. Additionally, to extend the air jet transversely of the outlet leg 15 for increased direct action on the sand, at least the air outlet 8 and adjoining portion of the passage 7 are preferably of horizontally elongated rectangular crosssection. Extending not only through the side wall 28 of the body 2, but also through its bottom wall 41 beneath the floor 17 of the sand chamber 7, the air passage 6, if continuous, would interfere with draining of the sand trap. It, therefore, is preferred that the passage, as cast, be formed in part intermediate its ends by an annular groove 42 formed in the inner wall 43 of a drain or cleanout opening or port 44 extending from the bottom of the inlet leg 14 of the sand chamber 7 to the lower end 40 of the body, this groove, after casting, being sealed from the drain opening by a bushing 45 insertable from below into the opening. As preferred, the bushing 45 may be threaded, sweated or otherwise fixed in the body, it having been found especially convenient to chill the bushing immediately before installation to a subzero temperature and utilize its expansion as it warms to room temperature to lock it in place or installed position. Below the bushing 45, the drain port 44 normally is closed by a plug 46 threaded into the body.

From the above detailed description, it will be apparent that there has been provided an improved sand trap which depends for variation in its output on the cone principle for adjusting the volume of the sand in its sand chamber exposed to the action of the air jet and, since independent of an adjustable nozzle, can have an inbuilt and fixed nozzle. It should be understood that the described and disclosed embodiment is merely exemplary of the invention and that all modifications are intended to be included which do not depart from either the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A sand trap comprising a hollow body having angularly related inlet and outlet legs, adjustable means in said. body for varying the maximum height of sand in said outlet leg and therethrough the gravity flow of said sand toward an outlet end of said leg, and nozzle means in said body and opening beyond said adjustable means into said outlet leg for directing an air jet thereinto adjacent a sand outlet thereof.

2. A sand trap comprising a hollow body having angularly related inlet and outlet legs, blade means movably mounted in said body for varying the maximum height of sand in sm'd outlet leg and therethrough the. gravity flow of said sand toward an outlet end of said leg, and nozzle means in said body and opening beyond said blade means into said outlet leg for directing an air jet thereinto adjacent a sand outlet thereof.

3. A sand trap comprising a body, a sand chamber in said body and having angularly related inlet and outlet legs and an opening therebetween, a floor in said outlet leg and having an outer portion disposed at an angle to the horizontal less than th e angle of repose of sand supplied to said chamber, means defining an upper limit of said opening and projectible into said chamber for varying the maximum height of sand in said outlet leg above said floor and therethrough regulating gravity flow of sand toward an outlet end of said outlet leg over said outer portion of said floor, and nozzle means in said body and opening beyond said regulating means into said outlet leg for directing an air jet against sand therein.

4. A sand trap comprising a body, a sand chamber in said body and having angularly related inlet and outlet legs, blade means in said chamber above a floor thereof and defining with said floor vertical limits of an opening between said legs, said blade means being rotatable for varying said opening, and nozzle means in said body and opening into said outlet leg for directing air against sand therein.

5. A sand trap comprising a body, a sand chamber in said body and having angularly related inlet and outlet legs, blade means in said chamber above a floor thereof and defining with said floor vertical limits of an opening between said legs, said blade means being rotatable for varying said opening, and nozzle means in said body below said floor and opening into said outlet leg for directing air thereinto.

6. A sand trap comprising a body, a sand chamber in said body and having angularly related inlet and outlet legs, blade means in said chamber above a floor thereof and defining with said floor vertical limits of an opening between said legs, said blade means being rotatable for varying said opening, and an air passage in a bottom wall of said body beneath said floor and having an outlet opening into said outlet leg for directing air thereinto.

7. A sand trap comprising a body, a sand chamber having angularly related inlet and outlet legs and a floor extending therebeneath, blade means in said sand chamber and swingable in a limited are about a substantially horizontal axis extending transversely of said chamber, said blade means being disposed above and defining with said floor vertical limits of an opening between said legs and on swinging varying the upper limit of said opening, and nozzle means in said body and opening into said outlet leg for directing air against sand therein.

8. A sand trap comprising a body, a sand chamber having angularly related inlet and outlet legs and a floor extending therebeneath, blade means in said sand chamber and swingable in a limited are about a substantially horizontal axis extending transversely of said chamber, said blade means being disposed above and defining with said floor vertical limits of an opening between said legs and on swinging varying the upper limit of said opening, means for holding said blade at any position in said are, and nozzle means in said body and opening into said outlet leg for directing air against sand therein.

9. A sand trap comprising a body, a sand chamber in said body and having angularly related inlet and outlet legs opening respectively onto spaced inlet and outlet ports, a sandflow regulating unit rotatably mounted in said body, said unit including a blade above and adjustably swingable relative to an opening between said legs for varying an upper extremity thereof, and a pair of journals at opposite ends of said blade and seatable in cylindrical apertures in opposite sides of a side wall of said body, means acting between said journals and apertures for holding said blade in adjusted position, and nozzle means in said body and opening into said outlet leg for directing air against sand therein.

10. A sand trap comprising a body, a sand chamber in said body and having angularly related inlet and outlet legs opening respectively onto spaced inlet and outlet ports, a sandflow regulating unit insertable from a side into said body through a transverse bore therein, said unit including a pair of axially spaced journals 'rotatably seated in apertures in said body at opposite ends of said bore, and a blade between said journals and disposed in said sand chamber above an opening between said legs, said blade being swingable on said journals in a limited are relative to said opening for varying the upper extremity thereof, means secured to said body above said blade and projecting downwardly theretoward between said journals for centering said blade axially relative to said chamber, means acting between said body and unit for holding said blade in a given position within said are, and nozzle means in said body and opening into said outlet leg for directing air against sand therein.

11. A sand trap comprising a body, a sand chamber in said body and having angularly related inlet and outlet legs opening respectively onto spaced inlet and outlet ports, a sandflow regulating unit insertable from a side into said body through a transverse bore therein, said unit including a pair of axially spaced journals rotatably seated in apertures in said body at opposite ends of said bore, and a blade between said journals and disposed in said sand chamber above an opening between said legs, said blade being swingable on said journals in a limited are relative to said opening for varying the upper extremity thereof, means secured to said body above said blade and projecting downwardly theretoward between said journals for centering said blade axially relative to said chamber, and O-rings seated in peripheral grooves in said journals and yieldably resisting rotation of said blade for holding said blade in a given position within said are.

12. A sand trap comprising a body, a sand chamber in said body and having angularly related inlet and outlet legs opening respectively onto spaced inlet and outlet ports, a sandflow regulating unit insertable from a side into said body through a transverse bore therein, said unit including a pair of axially spaced journals rotatably seated in apertures in said body at opposite ends of said bore, and a blade between said journals and disposed in said sand chamber above an opening between said legs, said blade being substantially coextensive in width with said opening and swingable on said journals in a limited are relative to said opening for varying the upper ex-f tremity thereof, an angle plate secured to said body above said blade and having a depending tongue projecting between said journals and of substantially the Width of said blade for centering said blade axially-relative to said chamber, means acting between said body and unit for holding said blade in a given position within 'said are, and nozzle means in said body and opening into said outlet leg for directing air against sand therein.

13. A sand trap comprising a body, a sand chamber in said body and having angularly related inlet and outlet legs opening respectively onto spaced inlet and outlet ports, a sandflow regulating unit insertable from a side into said body through a transverse bore therein, said unit including a substantially cylindrical sector-shaped blade within said chamber above and of substantially the width of an opening between said legs, and a pair of cylindrical discs at opposite ends of and substantially coradial with said blade, said discs seating in cylindrical apertures in said body at opposite ends of said bore, said blade being swingable through a limited are on said discs for varying an upper limit of said opening, O-rings seated in peripheral grooves in said discs and frictionally engaging said seats for yieldably resisting swinging of said blade and holding said blade in a given position within said are, an angle plate secured to said body above said unit, said plate having a tongue projecting downwardly between said discs and of substantially the width of said blade for holding said unit against axial movement relative to said body, and an air passage in a bottom wall of said body and opening into said outlet leg beneath a floor thereof.

14. A sand trap comprising a body, a sand chamber in said body and having a substantially upright inlet leg and an outlet leg angularly related thereto, a blade within and extending transversely of said chamber and of substantially the width of and disposed above an opening therein between said legs, a pair of hubs at opposite ends of said blade and rotatably seated in apertures in opposite sides of a side wall of said body, said blade being adjustably rotatable on said hubs for varying an upper extremity of said opening, means for holding said blade in adjusted position, means for locking said blade against axial move ment relative to said body, and an air passage in a bottom wall of said body beneath said chamber and opening into said outlet leg.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 608,091 Wells et al. July 26, 1898 695,300 Gapp Mar. 7, 1902 704,037 Hooper July 8, 1902 890,028 Cudworth June 9, 1908 935,778 Cole Oct. 5, 1909 1,235,410 Alheit July 31, 1917 1,380,964 Hopkins June 7, 1921 1,410,684 Kuehner Mar. 28, 1922 1,755,643 Gapp Apr. 22, 1930 

